Description

The present invention relates in general to identification devices, and it deals more particularly with identification bracelets which, while having other uses and applications, are especially suitable for attachment to infants in hospitals or nurseries.

It is an object of the invention to provide identification means which is capable of instant and unmistakable interpretation at all times, which is not easily soiled, mutilated or otherwise rendered indistinct, and which can be worn by a baby without discomfort or injury to its sensitive skin.

A further object is to provide identification means that is neat, durable, and very attractive, yet economical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide an identification A bracelet that can be assembled and attached to the baby very quickly and easily, yet when once attached cannot be removed or altered without such mutilation as may readily be detected.

Other and further aims, together with the features of novelty by which the aims are achieved, will appear in the course of the following description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts of the various views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an identification bracelet embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of an instruction card having incorporated therein name tabs for use in the bracelet,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bracelet partly assembled,

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the parts making up the bracelet,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of a portion of the bracelet, with parts broken away for purposes of illustration, and

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 in the direction ofI the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the identification bracelet there shown is made up of a flat tube I0, a fiat band or strap I2 whose ends are adapted to be inserted in the tube, and a pair of fastening buttons or studs I4 for holding the inserted ends in place.

It is essential that all these parts be made of a material which will not irritate a babys sensitive skin, and the tube Ill and wrist strap I2 obviously must be flexible so that lthey-'can be.

curved as shown in Fig. 1 when assembled. Certain plastics satisfy these requirements and conveniently all the parts are molded of such Inaterial.

The tube ID is transparent while the wrist strap I2 and studs I II preferably are colored-'- blue for a boys bracelet and pink for a girls bracelet.

For lightness and flexibility, the walls of transparent tube I0 are made quite thin except at the ends of the tube where integral reinforcing bosses I6 are provided to strengthen the connection with the strap. These bosses contain aligned holes I8 in each end of the tube for receiving the shank or stem Illa of one of the fastening studs.

Wrist strap I2 has a series of holes 20 spaced along its length, the end holes being adapted to register with holes I8 at the opposite ends of the tube when the strap is in place, so that the stems of the two fastening; buttons or studs can pass therethrough and anchor the strap to the tube.

Midway the length of each stem there is a reduced section I Ib which permits the associated end hole 2B in the strap to move out of alignment with the holes I8 in the tube after the stud has been inserted (see Fig. 6); this displacement occurs as a result of the normal tension exerted on the two members, and makes it impossible for shoulder itc to be retracted past the strap, thus locking the strap securely to the transparent tube. To further insure against accidental. separation of the parts, holes I8 and 20 are made slightly smaller in diameter than the large end portions of the stem I4a in order l the end of the strap has been so inserted that This the hole 20 registers with the holes I8. arrangement makes it possible to align the holes by feel, greatly facilitating the rapid assembly of parts; it is a feature which is of special importance where the assembly must be effected in light so poor as to make alignment of the holesby visual inspection difficult, a rsituation which is not uncommon in many hospitals, when babies are delivered at night.

The preferred manner of using and assembling the identification bracelet now will be described in connection with the instruction card shown in Fig. 2. The major portion 26 of the card may contain, in addition or instead of printed instructions, spaces for entering the hospitals or the doctors recordsor as a matter of fact, any form of printed matter desired. Across the card near one end are two bands 30a and 30h, the former being colored blue on both sides of the card and the latter being colored pink on both sides. Along the edge of each band is a row of slits 32 extending throughr the card, the slits separated from one another by narrow tabs 34 holding the bands and the .card together.

When a prospective mother is admitted to the hospital, her surname is printed or typed on the same side of both colored bands; on theopposite side of each band her address is inserted, or, alternatively, she may there introduce her Written signature.

As soon as the baby is born and its sex determined, the appropriately colored band (blue for a boy, pink for a girl) is torn from the .card and inserted into the flat transparent tube i0. Then one end of the similarlyv colored wrist strap I2 is inserted into the tube and fastened by one of the studs i4 as hereinbefore described. Next, tube l and strap i2 are wrapped around the babys wrist (or ankle) to determine the proper size of the bracelet, and the excess portion of the strap is cut off, for example along dotted line 36.

This having been done, they are again wrapped around the wrist or ankle, and the cut end is inserted into the tube and fastened by a second buttonor stud I4.

The assembly of the bracelet can be effected very quickly, and it is placed on the baby before it leaves the hospitals delivery room so that the child is identified virtually from the moment of its birth. Once attached, the bracelet can only be removed by cutting the strap i2 in two, inasmuch as the button fasteners are locked in such fashion as to `make Withdrawal of them practically impossible.

Like the aligning notches 22 and projections 24, the small tufts `oi material 34, left on the name tab 30 when it is torn from the instruction card (see Figs. 4 and 5), play an important part in speeding the assembly of `the bracelet. n the haste with which the name tab must be inserted in the tube in practice, there is a tendency for it to slide completely through the tube and out the other end; but these tufts, by frictionally engaging the interior of the tube, prevent this, thus no time is lost in retrieving a. prepared name tab which has by accident escaped from the tube.

The colored tab 30 in the flat transparent tube meets the ends of the similarly colored Wrist strap l2 forming about the babys wrist or ankle a continuous `colored circle which assists the hospital personnel in ascertaining at a glance the sex of any .child so marked. As suggested herenbefore, the button fasteners employed preferably are also of the same color.

Exposed through the outer wall of the transparent tube ID when the bracelet is in place, `is the printed or typewritten surname of the mother. On the inside, that is toward the babys wrist, isthe mothers written signature or her. address,

depending upon which was placed on the reverse side of the original bands 30.

The speed and ease with which the bracelet may be attached encourages the establishment of a routine practice in the hospital of attaching a bracelet to each child immediately upon birth, and Where this practice is followed, there obviously is no chance of babies being accidently interchanged. Occasionally a mother suspects an interchange where there vhas been none, and in such a case, the existence of the mothers signature on the inside of the bracelet when it is removed from the child has been found to have a very reassuring effect upon her.

Thus it will be seen that the aims of the invention have been achieved, the bracelet disclosed and described being well adapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinbefore set forth, as Well as having other advantages which are obvious and which `are inherent to the device.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed Without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is Within the scope of the claims.

Inasmuch as various modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shownin the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

l. An identification bracelet comprising a flexible tube, an elongated identification insert disposed within said tube, a strap Whose ends are insert-able into opposite ends of the tube, each end of the tube and the corresponding end .of the strap having aligned apertures, a pair of studs each insertable into one set of aligned apertures to fasten the tube and strap together, and ,confine the identification insert within the tube, the stem of each studhaving a reduced central section permitting displacement of the strap relativeto the stud and the tube apertures after said stud has been inserted, and thereby locking the stud against removal from said apertures.

2. An article of the character described com-.- prising an elongated insert, a tube adapted to receive said insert, lateral projections on' the insert frictionally `engaging the bore of the tube to resist longitudinal movement of `the insertin .the tube, a strap Whose 'ends are insertable into the ends of the tube so they are .disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the insert, and fastening means to prevent .the withdrawal of the ends of the strap from the tube.

3. An article as in claim 2 wherein said tube is transparent and said insert and strap are the same color.

4. An identification bracelet comprising a flexible tube having a flexible strap connected to one end thereof, .the opposite Vend of .the tube adapted to receive the free end of the strap, said opposite end of the tube and said free end of the strap having aligned apertures, an elongated identification insert disposed within the tube, a stud insertable into the aligned apertures to prevent withdrawal of said free'end of .the strap'from the tube and confining the identification insert Within the tube, the stem of said stud -having a reduced central section, permitting displacement of said strap relative said vstud and the tube apertures thereby locking the stud against removal from Vsaid apertures.

5. An identification bracelet as set forth in claim 4 in which said tube is transparent and the insert and the strap are of the same color.

6. A bracelet comprising a flexible tube having a flexible strap connected to one end thereof, the opposite end of the tube being adapted to have the free end of the strap advanced thereinto in an endwise direction, said free end of the strap having an aperture positioned to register with the aperture in the end of the tube when the strap is inserted therein, indexing elements on the tube and strap cooperating to halt the advance of the free end of the strap into the tube when said apertures are in alignment, and holding means insertable into the aligned apertures to prevent the withdrawal of the strap from the tube.

'7. A bracelet comprising a flexible tube having a flexible strap connected to one end thereof, the opposite end of the tube adapted to receive the free end of the strap, said free end of the strap having an aperture positioned to register with an aperture in the end of the tube when the strap is inserted therein, a notch and :a projection one on the strap and the other in the bore of the tube adapted to engage with one another when said apertures register with one another, and holding means insertable into the registering apertures in the tube and strap to prevent withdrawal of the severed end of the strap from the tube.

8. A bracelet comprising a flexible tube having a flexible strap connected to one end thereof, said strap containing a series of apertures along its length and being severable at any point along its length thereby to make a selected aperture the end aperture in the strap, the opposite end of the tube being adapted to have the severed end of the strap advanced thereinto in an endwise direction and containing apertures positioned to register with said end aperture of the strap, indexing elements on the strap and tube cooperating to halt the advance of the severed end into the tube when said apertures register with one another, and holding means insertable into the registering apertures in the tube and strap to prevent withdrawal of the severed end of the strap from the tube.

9. A bracelet comprising a flexible tube having a flexible strap connected to one end thereof, said strap containing along its length a series of spaced holes and having along one marginal edge a series of similarly spaced notches, said strap severable at any point along its length and the severed end being insertable into the open end of said tube, a projection in the bore of the tube cooperating with the end notch to index the strap in a predetermined position relative the tube, the end of the tube having a hole aligned with a hole in the strap in said predetermined position, and holding means insertable into the aligned holes to prevent withdrawal of the severed end of the strap from the tube.

10. A bracelet comprising a flexible transparent tube closed at one end and open at the other, a flexible strip insertable into the tube through the open end thereof and bearing indicia visible through the wall of the tube, said strip -being shorter than the tube whereby when one end of the strip abuts against the closed end of the tube the other end of the strip is spaced inwardly from the open end of the tube, said tube having connected to the closed end thereof a flexible strap containing a series of apertures along its length, said strap being severable at any point along its length to shorten same and the free end of the shortened strap being insertable into the open end of the tube to close the opening and hold said strip in place, said tube containing apertures registering with the end aperture in the shortened strap, and holding means insertable into the registering apertures in the tube and strap to prevent withdrawal of the end of the shortened strap from the tube.

11. An :article of the character described, comprising an elongated strip of generally rectangular outline, a transparent tube whose bore conforms to but is slightly larger than the cross section of the strip taken along a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, whereby the strip is slidable in an endwise direction into the bore of the tube, a series of yieldable deformable tufts on the strip spaced at intervals along one longitudinal edge thereof, said tufts frictionally engaging the bore of the tube to resist longitudinal displacement of the strip after insertion of same into the tube, and said strip bearing indicia visible through the transparent wall of the tube.

12. An article of the character described comprising an elongated strip of generally rectangular outline, a transparent tube whose bore conforms to but is slightly larger than the cross section of the strip taken along a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, whereby the strip is slidable in an endwise direction into the bore of the tube, :a series of yieldable deformable tufts on the strip spaced at intervals along one longitudinal edge thereof, a second series of yieldable deformable tufts on the strip spaced at intervals along the opposite longitudinal edge thereof, said tufts frictionally engaging the bore of the tube on opposite sides thereby to resist longitudinal displacement of the strip after insertion of same into the tube, and said strip bearing indicia visible through the transparent wall of the tube.

13. A bracelet comprising an elongate flexible member having a bore extending axially inward from one end and a cross bore intersecting said axial bore at a point spaced inwardly from said one end of the member, the opposite end of said elongate member being insertable into said axial bore and containing a cross bore adapted to register with said first cross bore, a stud insertable into the aligned cross bores to fasten the two ends of the elongate member together, said stud having an enlargement at each end and having a reduced central section permitting displacement of said last end of the member in said axial bore after said stud has been inserted thereby to lock the stud against removal from said cross bores.

Jewelry, without fasteners, formed by the wearer by bending from a planar configuration into circular and/or other configurations to be worn as a necklace, bracelet, belt, etc, and reformed many times to serve as the same or other jewelry